Greetings from me (John) as a new member. I look forward to some interesting debates. My first query is to do with Arcam 170.3 transport. I have a venerable old example (still working perfectly) and expensively (and wonderfully) modded by Trichord Research - digital output board. I also recently bought an Arcam Delta 70.2 for £20 which also works perfectly. Are they essentially the same (except one is just a transport) and would it be worth moth-balling the 70.2 to use for spares (laser particularly) when the 170.3 packs up? My hunch is that I might pack up before it does.......
The 170.3 feeds into a Meridian 566 Dac and then onto Kef Reference 3 speakers in case anyone is interested
Many thanks.

I would think that the CD70.2 could be better than the 170.3/Meridian combo.

The 170.3 is essentially the same as the 70.2...but without an audioboard. Having the audioboard (dac and analogue stage) inside the CD player gives the CD70.2 the advantage of not having to use the SPDIF interface.

When I last looked at the service manual I saw that the 70.2 and 170 are very similar, differences seem to be indeed the audio board vs I think a digital output board.
The mechanisms I think are slightly different, I think they are compatible but the 170 uses an older type with perhaps more metal bits and maybe a hall motor?